The present invention relates generally to air treatment systems for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to air treatment systems for motor vehicles having both a cab compartment and a sleeper box.
Heavy-duty commercial trucks, such as Class 8 trucks and, in particular, tractor-trailer type trucks, transport much of the nation""s products and goods over the interstate highway system and are similarly used throughout the world. In long-haul applications, truckers may carry a load thousands of miles across the country to deliver the goods to their intended destination. Many such long-haul trucks are provided with a sleeper compartment, or sleeper box, directly behind the tractor cab. The sleeper box provides a comfortable xe2x80x9croomxe2x80x9d wherein the truck driver can relax and/or sleep, either during scheduled rest breaks with the truck parked, or while another trucker is driving the vehicle. It is common for two-person trucker teams to drive a long-haul route cooperatively, with one trucker resting in the sleeper box while the second trucker is driving, and vice versa.
In order for the non-driving trucker to get adequate rest and, in particular, to get suitably restful sleep during an off period, it is clearly important that the sleeper compartment be comfortable. To provide a comfortable environment, the sleeper box is typically provided with a bed and a heavy, sound-dampening curtain between the sleeper box and the cab. Additionally, an independently controllable air treatment system having heating and/or cooling systems is frequently provided within the sleeper box whereby the occupant of the sleeper box can maintain a comfortable temperature for sleeping, independent of the cab temperature. Prior art air treatment systems typically include a hot water driven heating heat exchanger, an air conditioning system driven cooling heat exchanger, and a blower for circulating air over the heat exchangers.
Although these prior art systems permit the temperature of the sleeper box to be independently controlled, the sleeper box air treatment systems are not independently provided with fresh air. Therefore, the air treatment system of the sleeper box is forced to treat the same ambient air contained within the cab of the truck, without the benefit of the inclusion of fresh air. In particular, the only source of fresh air to the tractor cab and sleeper box is through the vents and windows in the tractor cab and/or sleeper box and from the cab air treatment system, which is independently supplied with fresh air. The sleeper box can therefore become stuffy if the curtain separating the cab from the sleeper box is kept completely closed, since the sleeper box air treatment system is not independently provided with fresh air. The non-driving trucker may then be faced with a choice of partially opening the curtain to obtain an adequate supply of fresh air originating from the cab, and having to tolerate the additional noise from the cab, or closing the curtain completely and tolerating the wind noise and untreated air obtained from the sleeper box side vents. Moreover, in situations where the on-shift driver smokes, the off-shift driver may have a particularly difficult time obtaining adequate fresh air to the sleeper box, even if the curtain is left partially open.
There is a need, therefore, for a sleeper box air treatment system that can provide adequate fresh air to the sleeper box of a truck, independent of the cab portion of the truck, while also allowing the curtain between the cab and the sleeper box to be left substantially closed.
In accordance with the present invention, an air intake plenum, operable to couple in fluid communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of a sleeper box, is provided. The plenum is operable to be in fluid communication with an aperture that penetrates through a peripheral wall of the sleeper box. The air intake plenum includes an enclosure and a fresh air inlet. The fresh air inlet is in fluid communication with an interior of the enclosure and adaptable to couple to an aperture in a peripheral wall of a sleeper box, thereby placing the enclosure in fluid communication with fresh air from outside of the sleeper box. The air intake plenum further includes a recirculated air inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure and adaptable to be in fluid communication with air contained within the sleeper box. The air intake plenum also includes an air outlet in fluid communication with the fresh air inlet and the recirculated air inlet, wherein the air outlet is adaptable to be in fluid communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the air intake plenum may include a proportioner operable to adjust the ratio of fresh air relative to recirculated air received from the fresh air inlet and the recirculated air inlet by the air outlet, when the air outlet is coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.
In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the air intake plenum may include an air filter or combination filter, for example a particle and carbon filter, disposed in the enclosure downstream of the fresh air inlet and the recirculated air inlet. In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the air intake plenum may include at least one drain aperture penetrating a bottom wall of the enclosure. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the air intake plenum may include ducting operable to couple in fluid communication the fresh air inlet to the aperture in the peripheral wall of the sleeper box when the fresh air inlet is spaced from the aperture.
In accordance with still other aspects of the invention, a method for providing intake air to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of a sleeper box having an aperture in a peripheral wall of the sleeper box is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining an amount of fresh air through the aperture in the peripheral wall of a sleeper box and delivering the fresh air into an enclosure. The method further includes obtaining an amount of recirculated air from within the sleeper box and delivering the air into the enclosure and proportioning the amount of fresh air obtained relative to the amount of recirculated air obtained. The method still further includes providing a proportioned amount of fresh air and recirculated air to an air outlet adaptable to be coupled in fluid communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.
In accordance with still other yet aspects of the present invention, an air treatment system of a sleeper box having an aperture in a peripheral wall of the sleeper box is provided. The air treatment system includes an enclosure, a blower, a heat exchanger, a conditioned air outlet in fluid communication with an interior of the enclosure, and a fresh air inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure and adaptable to couple in fluid communication with the aperture in the peripheral wall of the sleeper box. The blower of the air treatment system is coupled in fluid flow communication with the fresh air inlet, the conditioned air outlet, and the heat exchanger and operable to flow fresh air obtained from the fresh air inlet through the heat exchanger and out the conditioned air outlet.